Top Posts & Pages

Category Archives: News

The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Ribadu, has returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The pioneer of the premier anti-graft agency, confirmed the move, in a statement, which was published on his Facebook page.

“I have finally heeded the calls on me to return to the All Progressives Congress, a party of which I was a founding member,” he said.

The ex-EFCC chair, who in 2014 left the Action Congress of Nigeria which later merged with the Congress for Progressive Change to form the APC, said he joined the ruling party on Thursday.

He continued: “I re-registered as a member of the APC on Thursday through the party’s online portal. After that, the leadership of the party in my Bako ward of Yola South Local Government Area visited me in my Yola residence to welcome me back to their fold.”

“My decision to return to the APC was triggered by my believe that all politics are local. Almost everyone around me, and with whom we started my political journey believed the time had come for us to make sacrifices and make concessions.

“That is in addition to the unbelievable love that my friends in the APC have showered on me in the past months.”

The former ACN presidential aspirant, who had joined the Peoples Democratic Party in a bid to contest the governorship election for Adamawa State, attributed his departure from the APC to “fundamental disagreements with the ways the chapter of the party in my state was run after it fell into some hands”.

Ribadu also stressed that his return to the APC was influenced by events in the last 15 months, which “have addressed many of the issues and healed some of the wounds” as well as “the genuine and sincere invitations I received since last year to retrace my steps into the party”.

This is just as the appellate court dismissed the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s candidate, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, who had challenged the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Mark as senator representing Benue South senatorial district before the tribunal.

At today’s court sitting, Justice Oyebisi Omoleye who led the two-man panel, affirmed the decision of the state election petition tribunal to uphold the February 20th 2015 election of Mark, describing Onjeh’s petition as incompetent and devoid of merit.

She therefore struck out the petition on the grounds that it was filed out of time.

She said: “The appellant’s petition was filed on the 22nd day of the declaration of result and therefore filed out of time by law. It therefore rendered the election petition incompetent and impotent.”

Election petitions ought to be filed not later than 21 days after the declaration of election results, she added.

On June 30, the election tribunal, in its ruling, dismissed Onjeh’s objection saying he failed to file in his objection within the 21-days from the election as enshrined in the constitution.

Not satisfied, Onjeh headed to the Court of Appeal to ask for an overturn of the tribunal’s decision.

Speaking on behalf of the Ekiti state executive on Thursday, his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), disclosed that his client is not aware of the suit filed against him by the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, adding that he is eagerly waiting to be served them.

Ozekhome also questioned whether the first lady had the right to sue a governor who had immunity under section 308 of the 1999 constitution.

In the ex-parte motion, Mrs. Buhari prayed the Federal High Court, Abuja division, to grant her reliefs to issue writ of summons against Mr. Fayose and his media advisers, Idowu Adelusi and Lere Olayinka.

However, Fayose’s lawyer stated that:

“We have not been served Mrs. Aisha Buhari’s writ against Governor Fayose. We are waiting for this legally and jurisprudentially titillating and ground-breaking suit that will open up new vistas and rip open the yet undiscovered entrails of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants immunity to the President, Vice-President, governors and deputy governors.”

Reports have emerged that the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bori, headquarters of Khana local Government Area and the ancestral headquarters of the Ogoni people has been set ablaze by unknown persons.

This is coming barely a week to the commencement of the July 30 rerun election in Rivers State.

Bori is in Ogoniland – an area which is key to the rerun election for Rivers East senatorial district scheduled for next Saturday.

Although information on the incident remains scanty, it was gathered that the fire started in the early hours of Friday morning.

An eyewitness said “the office has been substantially damaged by the fire.”

Kennedy Friday, an Ogoni activist also confirmed the fire on his Facebook post.

“I have just received news this morning that the INEC office in Bori is on fire. The whole building is ablaze.”

Confirming the incident, Omoni Nnamdi, spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command said,

“I have received the report but don’t have details yet. I will provide details when I get to the office.

It will be recalled that INEC cancelled the election in the area on March 11 due to violence.

The former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has unsealed a humongous can of worms while speaking on the real reasons for his removal on Wednesday.

Jibrin, who averred that it was his decision to step down as against the announced dismissal by the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, accused the speaker of attempting to pad N30 billion into the controversial 2016 budget.

A statement issued on Thursday evening read:

“I am obliged to make further statement after listening to the full statement of Speaker Yakubu Dogara on why I had to leave as Chairman Appropriation. It is a fact I went up to the Speaker and told him clearly I wanted to leave. He confirmed this in his statement but it appeared he wished he had fired me instead of my personal decision to step down.

Thereafter I proceeded to my office. I was therefore not surprised when an aide of mine walked into my office to inform me that the Speaker had announced my departure. I was relieved and went straight to address the press and released a statement. It was only later in the evening while monitoring the news that I watched the full statement he made on the floor. Speaker Dogara’s statement was a complete misrepresentation of the facts, false, mischievous, unfair and a calculated attempt to bring my name to disrepute, blackmail, silence and use me as a scape goat.

The plan is to execute it just before the recess so that by the time we return I would have been buried and the issue forgotten. Mr Speaker, this issue will never be swept under the carpet. We are closing for recess with it and we shall commence the next session with this issue. This was the last option they had after every attempt to find something to nail me failed. It is a known fact that I am a very blunt person by nature. I don’t know how to pretend. I don’t do eye service neither will I ever be a sycophant. I don’t give returns. I just do my job faithfully and dedicatedly. My offence was asserting my independence and insisting that we do the right thing at all times and expose corrupt people in the House.

Lately I openly disagreed with some principal officers on the issue of immunity for Lawmakers and budget issues. I still maintained I will never support immunity. I strongly believe with every conviction that in cleaning up the budgeting system and considering what transpired during 2016 budget which I have all the facts documented, Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun, Whip Doguwa and minority Leader Leo Ogor should resign. These members of the body of principal officers were not comfortable with my independent disposition and my refusal to cover up their unilateral decision to allocate to themselves 40billion naira out of the 100billion allocated to the entire National Assembly.

The four of them met and took that decision. In addition to billions of wasteful projects running over 20 billion they allocated to their constituencies. They must come out clean. My inability to admit into the budget almost 30 billion personal requests from Mr. Speaker and the 3 other principal officers also became an issue. I have every documented evidence to this effect. After the submission of the first version of the budget which was returned by Mr. President, I briefed members in executive session and told them as agreed at our pre budget meeting with chairmen and deputy chairmen of standing committees, we simply adopted their reports with little amendments. No body faulted my submission.

Members insisted they must know how the N100 billion was allocated. I told them the truth. Since after that meeting, Mr Speaker with the suport of the three other principal officers effectively blocked me from briefing members, ensured I was not at the last executive session and refused to investigate issues I raised that I believe must be addressed if we intend to build a better budget system for the House. I gave Mr. Speaker statistics of 2000 new projects introduced into the budget by less than 10 committee chairmen without the knowledge of their committee members he did nothing about it because he was part of the mess yet he is talking about improving the budget system. I did nothing wrong. I worked within the rules of the House and instructions of Mr. Speaker. During the budget period, Mr. President graciously granted myself and Sen. Goje audience.

It was a very good meeting. Speaker Dogara took it extremely personal that we saw the president without his knowledge and went on to scuttle all our efforts to help the president during the budget process because he wanted to be seen by the president as the only good man. He forgot that he sees heads of MDA’s daily which he enjoys doing more than his job as Speaker for reasons best known to him anyway, without Mr. President’s knowledge. That is how petty and narrow minded Dogara can be. A coward, hypocrite and pretender of the highest order. Mr President must be very careful with him. He wines with Mr. President and dines with Mr. Presidents enemies. I am glad that I am finally free from his emotional blackmail of constantly trying to make me see my appointment as appropriation chairman as a favour.

He has failed to realise that I came a long way and even attained chairman finance when he was chairman House services before this appointment. Seeing as the Speaker claimed that they have taken the decision or were going to take decision to replace me, he now has a responsibility to tell the world why they took or were going to take such decision. I challenge them to tell the world why? I will be releasing a more detailed statement in due course.

Meanwhile, I intend to explore all internal avenues of the House to brief my colleagues in detail and testify against Speaker Dogara, Deputy Lasun, Whip Doguwa and Minority leader Leo Ogor on why they should resign. If I am not allowed to exercise my privilege, I shall consider legal options. I can no longer bear the brunt of abuses and baseless allegations keeping quiet all in the name of “confidentiality” expected of an appropriation chairman. I will not allow anybody no matter how highly placed to destroy my life as intended by the full statement of Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Now Nigerians will see clearly the ulterior motive behind the desperate moves for immunity for principal officers of the National Assembly.”

Dogara reacted swiftly to the allegations with a rebuttal.

A statement by the spokesperson for the house, Abdulrazak Namdas, dismissed Mr. Jibrin’s claims.

Full statement:

Our attention has been down to media statements made by the former Chairman of House Appropriation Committee, Hon Abdulmumuni Jibrin wherein he made wild allegations against the House of Representatives and its leaders.

We wish to say that it is the prerogative of the Selection Committee of the House to appoint and remove Committee Chairmen. That power has been so exercised in the case of Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin as chairman of Appropriation Committee.

Most of the allegations on the 2016 budget process and his opposition to immunity of Presiding officers are non-issues and mere afterthought manufactured simply because the House relieved him of his position.

If he had all these ‘facts’ before, why didn’t he make them public? Why is he doing that now?

Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, like any other member of the House knows that there are conventions and precedents as it relates to budgets and projects for principal officers of the National Assembly. Why is he making it an issue now? In any case, he is entitled to his opinion as a Nigerian and as a legislator while acting within the laws of Nigeria and rules of the House.

We must make it abundantly clear that he was not removed because of his support or otherwise on immunity bill. After all he is not the only one who opposed the bill.

The bill is still pending before committee on review of constitution and it has to be voted upon by each and every member of the House, get Senate concurrence, endorsed by two-third of the 36 State Houses of Assembly and be assented to by the President. It is a cheap blackmail on the part of Hon. Jibrin to even insinuate that he was removed because he opposed immunity bill.

He should not distract the House from giving legislative support on important issues facing the government concerning the revival of the economy, insecurity in the country, pursuit of anti-corruption measures, poverty alleviation, infrastructural development etc. The Nigerian people are simply not ready to waste their time on personal issues and personal egos of our leaders. We should face the urgent tasks before us for which we were elected.

His words: “Today morning, troops on clearance patrol at Guro Gongon village and environs to rout out remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hibernating therein, destroyed the terrorists’ makeshift camps and recovered quite a number of weapons, equipment and foodstuff in the process,” Mr. Usman, a colonel and acting director of army public relations, said.

“However, the gallant soldiers basking on the recorded success, returning to their defensive locations, ran into an ambush by a group of Boko Haram terrorists who came to reinforce their fleeing comrades. The troops fought back gallantly killing several of the insurgents.

“Sadly however, 19 soldiers and 3 civilian JTF members were wounded in action while a few others were missing in action.

“The wounded have been evacuated and are responding to treatment, while a search and rescue party comprising of Special Forces personnel has since been dispatched to establish contact with the missing in action troops, some of whom, as at the time of filing this report, have started returning to their defensive location.

“It is pertinent to state that, no stone would be left unturned until every person involved in the operation has been accounted for.”

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adewale Oluwatayo, who is representing Ifako Ijaiye Constituency, Lagos State, is dead.

Member of the House of Representatives, Adewale Oluwatayo is dead: nass.gov.org

The cause of his death is yet to be ascertained, as he was reported to have been full of life on Wednesday during the caucus meeting of the House of Representatives.

According to a report reaching us, he died in Abuja on Wednesday evening, but news about his passing away filtered into the National Assembly on Thursday. He was aged 65 years.

Mr. Oluwatayo was a special adviser on Education in Lagos State between 2009 and 2011. Before then, he served as chairman of the state’s electricity board between 2004 and 2007.

Mr. Oluwatayo attended Ilesha Grammar School 1968. University of Nigeria Nsukka 1979 BSc. Lagos State University 2005 M.ED., his official citation on National Assembly Web site said.

In the 2015 elections, he contested for the Federal House of representatives under the Platform of the APC and won to represent Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency.

However, the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, in a condolence message soon after the House rose, said:

“The late Hon. Elijah died when his services to the nation were most needed.

“We mourn our fallen colleague as one who gave his best in service to God and humanity.

“He was a committed and hard working member, who championed the cause of his people.

“Our hearts go out to his immediate family, the people of Ifako/Ijaiye Federal Constituency and Lagos state over this great loss.

“I pray God Almighty to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. We will surely miss him in the Green Chamber”, the message, which was signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, read.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, reshuffled the leaderships of various committees of the Nigerian Senate with juicy positions to his most loyal opponents.

Following the reshuffle, Kabiru Marafa, the Senate leadership’s most outspoken and harshest critic, will head the committee on petroleum downstream, while another anti-Saraki Senator, Remi Tinubu, was nominated the new Chairman of Environment.

The mode of restructuring – which favoured the APC’s fold – may have been aimed at quelling the recent polarity in the senate following rumours that the senate president was returning to the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Abuja division of the High Court has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to pay a sum of N5 million to an aide of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Abiodun Agbele, as compensation for the “wrongful and illegal detention” of the suspect from July 1 till date.

This is even as the presiding judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, condemned in entirety what he called the EFCC’s “gross abuse of powers” and its “arrogant display of executive might”‎ for detaining the suspect illegally for the period.

The Justice also held that the failure of the EFCC to charge Mr. Agbele to court, since his arrest, amounted to an abuse of his fundamental rights.

The EFCC had on June 30, obtained a remand order from a Magistrate Court in Ogba to hold Agbele for 14 days.

The counsel of Agbele, Mike Ozekhome said that the EFCC renewed his detention after the given grace period of 14 days lapsed.

Adeniyi said that since the EFCC transferred Agbele to the FCT, the remand order no longer stands.

The judge also held that Mr. Agbele be admitted to bail with a bond of N50 million and a surety not below the cadre of a director in the civil service.

Alternatively, Mr. Agbele is required to provide a surety who is a responsible Nigerian citizen, with landed property in any part of Abuja.

In protest of the murder of the traditional ruler of Bokko Local Government Area, Plateau state, a fresh attack has ensued as soldiers serving with the Special Task Force on Jos crisis on Thursday opened fire on rampaging youths who blocked a road within the area.

It was gathered that at least one person was killed and five others injured.

A source, who witnessed the incident, Mangai Haruna, said the youth refused to allow soldiers into the area, pressing them instead to produce the killers of their kinsmen.

“They shot on our people, one of them died instantly,” Mr. Haruna said.

Speaking also, the leader of the youth group, Jibrin Malau, a physically-challenged man on wheelchair, said they would not allow soldiers provide security to their people anymore.

A youth, Peters Marren, said “We don’t want soldiers again, because the community that was attacked yesterday night (Wednesday) is behind a military base, why didn’t they give the community protection?”

“Soldiers are betrayers, we will not allow soldiers into our villages, they are aiding the killings. They were there when Danan community was set on fire, the armed men destroyed, injured and kill our people. Soldiers must go, we want them replaced with mobile police.”

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Idris, the acting Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) on Thursday, directed Mr. Joshack Habilla, Deputy-Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge operations, to proceed to the troubled community with immediate effect and ensure the arrest of the killers of Chief Lazarus Agaie, the traditional ruler of Bokkos, who was murdered on his way from a farm alongside his wife, son and Police orderly.

The trio were accused of sexual assault while attending a leadership programme in the United States in April 2016.

On Wednesday, during their appearance at the Joint Committees of the House of Representatives on Ethics and Privileges and Foreign Affairs for questioning, the 3 embattled lawmakers, vented words of utter spleen, daring the US government to come up with evidence.

Speaking on the matter, Gololo stressed that the allegation against him was spurious, adding that during his stay at the Mariot Hotel in US, there was no time a maid entered his room.

“I never grabbed any housemaid. I take this matter seriously. I demand an apology and retraction from the ambassador.

“I insist that the evidence against me be produced. I demand video of the allegation”, he fumed.

On his part, Gbillah said that he never had any cause to speak with an attendant throughout the programme.

“I dare the US government to produce the video evidence on the incident.”

Also testifying, Ikon stated that: “It was most devastating, demeaning and embarrassing to be accused of such misconduct.

“I did not request the assistance of anybody nor did I desire a prostitute. I was never questioned on the alleged issue in the US or in Nigeria for the issue.

They also stated that the US Embassy and by extension the US government had a pre-determined motive for selecting the ten lawmakers for the leadership programme which held in April without passing through proper diplomatic channel.

The accused lawmakers said the speculation regarding the US Embassy and the Home Office having a hidden agenda became inevitable given the manner in which they handled the travelling arrangements by not routing their invitation to the programme through the Foreign Affairs Ministry and by not informing the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC of their presence and mission in the US.

Another issue of contention at the hearing was the absence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who for the second time failed to turn up at the hearing despite postponement of the meeting last week Thursday.

The minister on Wednesday wrote the chairman, House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Osai Nicholas Osai, expressing regrets for not being able to attend the rescheduled hearing due to the need to attend the Federal Executive Council meeting to brief the council on what happened at the AU summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

The committee, though recognising the need for the minister to brief the council, however, insisted that he be present at the hearing as it needs to finish with the matter and lay it to rest before proceeding on long vacation today.

Following confirmed intelligence report on the convergence and massing up of dislodged Boko Haram terrorists at Garere village in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, with intent of carrying out attack on some isolated communities, troops on fighting and clearance patrol Codenamed “Operation TIGER CLAW” on Tuesday 19th July 2016 swooped on the terrorists.

During the ensuing operation, 42 Boko Haram terrorists were killed, while unconfirmed number of the insurgents escaped with gunshot wounds.

Similarly, 38 women and 42 children held captives were rescued from the insurgents. The women and children were taken to the military medical facility in Baga for checks. They were further assisted with food and clothing.

In a related development, suspected elements of Boko Haram terrorists at the early hours of today, attacked Bakin Dutse community in which they killed one person and injured 4 other persons. Unfortunately, they took to their heels on arrival of troops. The troops have continued to patrol the general area with the hope of finding and apprehending the attackers.

Similarly, troops on routine patrol in order to secure and make Kumshe-Banki road open, were ambushed by 4 suspected Boko Haram terrorists. The troops engaged them and 3 of them died as a result of gun shot wounds. The lone survivor is currently being interrogated. It is heart-warming to state that he has been making very useful statements that are very revealing.

The Senate on Wednesday resolved to begin consideration and screening of 47 ambassadorial nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari for approval.

This followed the adoption of the recommendations of the Committee on Foreign Affairs mandated to investigate the 37 petitions forwarded to the Senate on alleged lop-sidedness in the nomination.

The Chairman of the committee, Shehu Sani, said that from the committee’s investigation, due process was followed in appointing the nominees.

He said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, informed the committee that states without nominees had no qualified persons for appointment as career ambassadors based on set guidelines.

He said most senior officers from the states affected either did not meet the required minimum of 30 months to their retirement or fell short of other criteria.

However, the lawmaker said Mr. Lawal gave the assurance that Mr. Buhari would address the seeming lop-sidedness with the appointment of non-career ambassadors.

The committee recommended that the Senate proceed with the screening, while urging the federal government to quickly submit the list of non-career ambassadors.

It also urged the federal government to sustain the tradition of submitting the list of non-career ambassadors alongside that of career ambassadors.

The Senate, thereafter, adopted the recommendations of the committee through a voice vote and resolved to commence screening of the nominees as soon as possible.

Mr. Buhari had sent the list of 47 career ambassadors to the senate for approval on June 9.

However, petitions trailed the nominations over alleged disregard for federal character principle and non-representation of states like Bayelsa, Benue, Kogi, Ondo, Plateau and Taraba among others.

When on July 17, President Muhammadu Buhari gave Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, instructions to reopen investigation into the assassination of former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief James Ajibola Idowu Ige (SAN), and fish out his assailants, not a few Nigerians commended the move as spot on.

This article was written by Stephen Ubimago. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 360Nobs.com.

For example, the late Attorney General’s son, Arc. Muyiwa Ige, is quoted as having described the presidential directive as a glorious dawn for the Ige family, stressing, “We are happy; we will get justice after 16 years.”

Yet, many Nigerians are not so impressed despite the positive symbolism of the presidential directive.

While some maintain that the president, by the move, was merely playing to the gallery; others say it was a dubious stir only aimed at shoring up his dwindling popularity, especially among his die-hard supporters from the South West, who seem to have started withdrawing their support for him in the face of growing criticism that he seem not to have a handle over the management of the nation’s affairs, particularly on the economic front.

Indeed many were the high-profile politically-motivated killings that took place during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which lasted from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007.

These unresolved murder cases include those of ex-Deputy National Chairman, South-South, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Harry Sokari Marshall; the assassination also of the man who succeeded him in office, Chief Aminasoari Dikibo; the killing of the 2007 governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, Chief Funsho Williams; as well as the murder of the 2007 governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress (AC) in Ogun State, Otunba Adedipupo Dina, among others.

It is however curious that despite this harvest of unresolved political killings, the president only gave instructions for the reopening of investigation into just two of the cases, Dikibo’s and Ige’s.

For the more sanguine observers, however, nothing could be more sagacious and bolstering of their confidence in the president’s ability to deliver on the initiative than that he chose to start with a few.

According to them, to have instructed otherwise could have been as naïve as it might have amounted to throwing too much in the plate of the investigators, with the effect of seeing them overwhelmed and perhaps bumbling the initiative altogether.

Accordingly, the president’s nomination of Ige and Dikibo for starters only suggests the inauguration of a long process, they argue. It is being seen as a portent in that before long the attention of the investigators would be broadened to cover the yet uncharted territories.

The development has however raised a number of questions, which hereunder are distilled as issues to ponder:

Whether public institutions statutorily saddled with the task of detection and investigation of crimes or apprehension of offenders like the Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others lack a sense of initiative and thus must tarry on the instruction or body-language of the president to be able to act?

Whether these institutions are as good or bad as the mindset or predilection of the commander-in-chief otherwise they are as ideas-less or will-less as experimental cadavers?

Whether critics are correct in saying that the Police or EFCC, for example, are simply the attack dogs of the president, having regard to the above instantiating development?

Whether in being beholden to the President’s proclivities, these institutions become politically exposed or corrupted and compromised by politicization?

Whether their inability to assert their independence and take initiatives primes them for reform?

Suffice to note that the former Attorney General was gunned down by unknown gunmen in his bedroom at his Bodija home in Ibadan, Oyo State, at about 9:00pm on December 23, 2001, for which some explanatory hypothesis had been formulated according to which investigators in the past had attempted to trace his killers, albeit abortively.

One theory that had preeminently featured in the past, which for some reasons seemed to have excited officialdom to no end, and which had been whipped to frenzy and even used ineffectually to track and prosecute his alleged killers is that the man was eliminated by his political associates in the old Alliance for Democracy (AD).

The narrative was located in Osun State. The state had been engulfed in a crisis occasioned by a rift that had pitted then Governor Bisi Akando and his deputy, Chief Iyiola Omisore in some war of attrition over political differences.

While late Chief Abraham Adesanya, leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization Afenifere and the AD rallied support for Omisore; Chief Ige, Adesanya’s second-in-command in Afenifere and AD drummed up following for Akande.

Indeed, the rank of Yoruba leadership during the period seemed to have been torn along the fault-lines drawn by their leanings for or against Akande or Omisore.

Moves quickly thickened to have Omisore sacked vide an impeachment hearing in the Osun State House of Assembly.

The development saw the House being hauled into a fractious mode that spilled into a general din in the state, resulting in the assassination of one of the lawmakers, Hon. Odunayo Olagbaju.

Successive developments in tow also witnessed naked assaults on the person of Ige.

In fact few days prior to his assassination, the Oni’s Palace in Ile-Ife had recorded a humiliating treatment delivered on the man by tugs in which his cap had been pulled off his head.

Omisore would subsequently grant a press interview in which he appeared to have endorsed the attack on Ige.

In the light of this interaction of events, commonsensical logic came to the conclusion that the murder of Ige might not be unconnected to the political differences that existed within the Afenifere/AD leadership at the time and that Omisore and his backers must be the killers.

Few days after Ige’s murder, one Adeniyi Yinusa, 27, turned himself in to the Police in Ibadan, confessing to being part of the gang that killed the late AGF.

He was however quickly dismissed as being only off his rockers, or had been financially induced or otherwise.

On Monday, January 14, 2002, Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, with one Joseph Olugbenga Damola Elubode Adebayo (a.k.a. Frayo) in tow, articulated at a press conference, via a deposition, what he knew about the killing.

Frayo was however quickly taken into custody in Lagos, and ferried off to Abuja in a heartbeat, following which investigations into the incident tapered into an inexplicable lull until Wednesday, February 13, when the Police arrested two journalists, Messrs Segun Banjo and Femi Davies, of the Ace magazine over their relationship with Frayo.

Apparently, they had quartered Frayo for a few days before advising him to approach Keyamo for counsel.

Then suddenly, on Friday, February 15, a newspaper published a retraction letter by Frayo, saying he’d been coerced and coached by Keyamo into writing his earlier deposition, wherein he’d confessed to what he knew about Ige’s murder.

On Saturday, February 16, 2002, Keyamo himself was arrested, kept in custody for months and later released.

But the point of interest is that the lawyer was subsequently appointed prosecutor to try Omisore, who had been arrested and accused of the Ige murder.

The former Osun State deputy governor was kept in detention for two years. He was tried but finally discharged and acquitted of the murder charge by the court.

In the light of the foregoing narrative, question has arisen as to whether in reopening investigation into Ige’s murder, recourse would be had to the hypothesis that Ige had been consumed by political differences in the leadership rank of the old AD/Afenifere.

Wouldn’t a revisit of Omisore for investigation be at the risk of offending the constitutional rule against Double Jeopardy?

This explains why some observers have argued that the politicization of Ige’s murder made locating the real culprits of the dastardly act a recondite assignment; and hence why another explanatory model may have to be admitted for unraveling the thorny case.

According to this alternative hypothesis, Ige was eliminated by the Obasanjo government, who ahead of his 2003 second term ambition felt the need to do away with the man, given his significant influence as a key Yoruba leader, in order to leave the AD in disarray and aid PDP’s scheme of penetrating the South-West.

In a strategic ploy of keeping one’s enemy closer so as to aim at his decimation with precision and ease, the Obasanjo government threw at him the bait of ministerial offices to enable close tabs on his itinerary, following which he could be finished off seamlessly.

Alluding to this line of thinking, Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo had asserted in an interview, “The Federal Government of that period murdered Chief Bola Ige, and incidentally, instead of confessing, they passed the buck, accusing Ige’s political associates of the murder.”

Born in Zaria, near Kaduna, on September 13, 1930, Chief Bola Ige (SAN) studied at Ibadan Grammar School between 1943 and ’48; and at the University of Ibadan, where he bagged a BA in Classics with honors.

He later proceeded to the University College London where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1959, and was called to the bar in London’s Inner Temple in 1961.

The late lawyer and politician, then fondly called the Cicero of Esa Oke, was former governor of old Oyo State; Minister of Mines and Power; as well as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, among others.

This article was written by Stephen Ubimago. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 360Nobs.com.

Documents have been released to support the claims that Diamond Bank Nigeria Plc actually laid off 400 workers as against the 200 it earlier alleged.

A lawyer based in Abuja, Mr Frank Tietie, had earlier accused the management of the bank of unfair labour practices against some recently sacked workers of the bank.

Online newspaper, Independentnig quoted the lawyer, in a letter dated June 29, and addressed to the Managing Director of the bank, as saying that the workers were “rudely’’ informed of their sack by e-mail on May 27.

He said that the action breached the provisions of Section 20 of the Labour Act on redundancy as well as “other labour regulations, standards and best practices’’.

The legal practitioner alleged that 400 workers were affected, but the bank confirmed the sack of only 200 in a statement on May 27.

According to Tietie, Diamond Bank goes further to unilaterally deduct supposed? long term loans from the bank accounts of the affected workers against earlier agreed loan tenures.
???

He said such an action was unbecoming of a Nigerian bank against its staff, which was yet to recover from the trauma and shock of the unexpected termination of their employments.

“By that action, they have been further subjected to the punishment of being suddenly thrown into serious financial dire straits.

“This is despite the unblemished and meritorious services they had rendered to the bank as committed and dedicated staff for periods ranging from one to 20 years.’’

He gave the bank 15 working days from the day of receipt of the letter to enter into negotiations with representatives of the affected workers or face legal action.

In a swift reaction, the Head of the bank’s Media Relations Unit, Mr Ikechukwu Omeife, who had earlier reaffirmed the lender’s claim that only 200 workers were affected, explained that the dismissal was part of a rightsizing recently undertaken by the bank to “optimise cost and enhance value for the shareholders at the end of the business year”.

He said that the affected 200 employees were those whose performance records were lower than the minimum required to drive the bank’s strategic growth plan.

Omeife wondered why the lawyer singled out Diamond Bank for attack over an exercise that was a normal practice in the corporate world and which other banks had also undertaken.

However, the photos below just spoke a thousand words:
Photo credit: Reportnaija

A summon from a court, dated July 20, 2016, was issued with respect to the lawsuit filed by the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fayose, who as a current Governor of Ekiti state, has constitutional immunity against criminal prosecution, had accused the president’s wife of being named in a U.S. court document, alleged to have been involved in a bribery case involving a convicted former U.S. lawmaker, Williams Jefferson.

p style=”text-align: justify”>The governor, who later admitted to an error, referred to the scandal as the Halliburton corruption case. The Halliburton case is different from the Williams Jefferson scandal.

Although Aisha Buhari has denied the allegations and even threatened a lawsuit, Fayose still insisted that she was the one indicted in the corruption case.

A summon from a court, dated July 20, 2016, was issued with respect to the lawsuit filed by the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fayose, who as a current Governor of Ekiti state, has constitutional immunity against criminal prosecution, had accused the president’s wife of being named in a U.S. court document, alleged to have been involved in a bribery case involving a convicted former U.S. lawmaker, Williams Jefferson.

p style=”text-align: justify”>The governor, who later admitted to an error, referred to the scandal as the Halliburton corruption case. The Halliburton case is different from the Williams Jefferson scandal.

Although Aisha Buhari has denied the allegations and even threatened a lawsuit, Fayose still insisted that she was the one indicted in the corruption case.

Organised Labour under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday gave the Kogi state government a 30-day ultimatum to pay the seven-month salary it owed workers or face a strike action.

A joint statement issued by the presidents of NLC and TUC at a rally organised by their respective state chapters at the NLC office in Lokoja, revealed that the labour would go on strike if the governor refused to address lingering issues and stop the usage of two banks for workers to access their “fundamental human rights”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, the acting director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, said despite the outcome of investigations into the matter, the suspects had by their actions flouted the ban on transportation of fuel in such large volume within and around the area where counter-insurgency operation is taking place.

“The driver of the vehicle, Muhammadu Adamu, claimed ignorance of the contents of the vehicle and called the owner of the goods, Tijjani Gambo to explain. He too denied supplying terrorists fuel and other items, rather he claimed to be a mere trader that supplies goods to customers in Damboa based on demand.

“However, preliminary investigation revealed that he has been sending PMS and other goods through the same route at regular intervals without an identifiable corresponding recipient in Damboa as alleged.

Although investigations are still ongoing, it is suspected that it could be the means through which he had been supplying the terrorists with dire logistics in Sambisa forest. This is more so that there is a ban on the purchase and transportation of petrol in containers such as that within the theatre.

“Both suspects and the exhibits have been handed over to Joint Interrogation Centre for further investigations.

“In a related development, a dead body was dropped by an unknown persons and found by Civilian JTF at Ruwan Zafi MM Ali Filling station opposite NNPC Mega Station, along the Mafa-Dikwa road. The deceased whose named was given as Abba Aminu aged between 35-40, was married with 4 children.

He was stabbed with a knife on his chest by his assailants. The matter was reported to Jere police Station for further investigation, while the body has been evacuated to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital mortuary.”

During the operations, they encountered and engaged elements of Boko Haram terrorists in Jadawa and Yerwa in which they killed 7 terrorists. Unfortunately 4 soldiers were wounded in action.

The troops also recovered one Fabrique Nationale (FN) rifle with registration number ANT 015 (B/B No 0058), 2 motorcycles and 2 mobile phones. As the operations continued, the team also intercepted some of the Boko Haram terrorists with 75 rustled cows and 25 stolen sheep.

While returning to base, the team was ambushed by suspected elements of Boko Haram terrorists. But the troops rose to the occasion and successfully cleared the ambush. They also encountered serious hardship because of bugging down of vehicles occasioned by marshy terrain.

In a related development, troops of 114 Task Force Battalion of 28 Task Force Brigade, in conjunction with some members of vigilante group, also carried out similar exercise at suspected Boko Haram terrorists hideouts at Mbale and Madube on Monday.

During the operation, the troops killed 5 Boko Haram terrorists, while some of them were believed to escape with gun shot wounds. The troops rescued 22 persons held captives by the terrorists; comprising of 10 females, 6 males and 6 children. In addition, they also recovered 2 bicycles, 2 gas cylinders and 2 Dane Guns in the process.

Similarly, troops of 115 Task Force Battalion also conducted clearance patrol at Kilekasa and Kopchi villages. While they were advancing they cleared pockets of terrorists hibernating at Pumpum and Emi villages.

Troops of 117 Task Force Battalion also conducted confidence-building patrols within Gella, Gyadkwara and Ngyahi villages, as well as Mayo Bani village.

Their counterparts at 143 Battalion also conducted patrol up to Fattude, Gershisha, Wakara, Gadamayo and Barai villages. While troops of 115 Task Force Battalion along with about 60 vigilantes also carried out patrol at Kilekasa and Kopchi villages. They however observed that Kopchi has merged with Kikelasa village.

A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Bonaventure Okeke, has been arraigned before Gudu Upper Area Court in Abuja on Monday for allegedly committing adultery.

Okeke was docked on a one-count charge of committing adultery with one Anozie Chinenye, following a complaint by the husband of his alleged lover at the court against the defendant on March 24, through his counsel, Obioma Achilefu, The Eagle Online reports.

The plaintiff, husband to Chinenye, said the defendant, knowing that he was legally married to Chinenye, committed adultery with her on December 18, 2014.

The plaintiff said the defendant was confronted on the issue over the cell phone and he confessed to have had sex with Chinenye once.

Thereafter, he warned the defendant to stay away from his wife, but his warnings fell on deaf ears.

He explained that the defendant on August 18 2015 sent transport money to his lover (Mrs Anozie), who was enrolled in a tertiary institution in Anambra State, to visit him at his residence and she did. She stayed with Bonaventure in his house from the said date till August 28.

He said the defendant repeatedly committed adultery with Mrs Anozie despite his warnings. He explained that the act wounded his “heart beyond measure”.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, admitted Okeke to bail in the sum of N100,000 and one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till August 30 for hearing.

A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Bonaventure Okeke, has been arraigned before Gudu Upper Area Court in Abuja on Monday for allegedly committing adultery.

Okeke was docked on a one-count charge of committing adultery with one Anozie Chinenye, following a complaint by the husband of his alleged lover at the court against the defendant on March 24, through his counsel, Obioma Achilefu, The Eagle Online reports.

The plaintiff, husband to Chinenye, said the defendant, knowing that he was legally married to Chinenye, committed adultery with her on December 18, 2014.

The plaintiff said the defendant was confronted on the issue over the cell phone and he confessed to have had sex with Chinenye once.

Thereafter, he warned the defendant to stay away from his wife, but his warnings fell on deaf ears.

He explained that the defendant on August 18 2015 sent transport money to his lover (Mrs Anozie), who was enrolled in a tertiary institution in Anambra State, to visit him at his residence and she did. She stayed with Bonaventure in his house from the said date till August 28.

He said the defendant repeatedly committed adultery with Mrs Anozie despite his warnings. He explained that the act wounded his “heart beyond measure”.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.

The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, admitted Okeke to bail in the sum of N100,000 and one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till August 30 for hearing.